Choosing the best pets for kids is no easy task, because every animal—and every child and family—is different. But if your kids are anything like ours, then you’re more than familiar with the constant stream of requests (OK, demands) for a new pet. Still, the idea of adding a new furry, scaly, or feathered friend to your home may feel overwhelming and spark a slew of questions: What is the most kid-friendly pet? What is the easiest pet to take care of? Which animals will be a good fit for your home?

Whether you already have a menagerie or you’re looking to get your child's first pet, we’ve got expert answers to your biggest questions about the best pets for kids. Whichever pet you choose, caring for it will likely give your child a new sense of responsibility. Learn even more important skills to teach your children in our list of 65 life skills to teach kids at any age and 70 life skills your kid needs before college.

Pickleball, the fast-growing, easy-to-play, all-ages racket sport has a brand new home in NYC: CityPickle has taken over Wollman Rink in Central Park for the spring, summer, and early fall.

Bringing with it 14 pickleball courts, CityPickle is the largest pickleball installation in NYC and offers 196 bookable hours daily between now and when it closes up shop in October so the famed ice skating rink can have its valuable real estate back.

To test out the kid-friendliness of CityPickle, we rounded up a pack of 9- and 10-year-old pickleball novices and took a CityPickle lesson. From learning about the kitchen to dinks, drives, and serves, read on for our experience and to learn how you can get in the pickleball game yourself at CityPickle this season.

Co-founded by a mom-of-four and her husband, Goldfish Swim School is a family favorite for kids’ swimming lessons, with 11 locations in the Boston Area. With its one-of-a-kind, play-based curriculum and kid-centric facilities, Goldfish Swim School makes water safety and learning to swim fun and approachable for babies as young as 4 months to kids up to 12 years old. Read on to see why this innovative swim center is in such high demand–and find out how to get started at Goldfish Swim School with a free first lesson.

High tea is a perfect experience gift for kids—or parents—of a certain age, and there's a brand-new Peter Rabbit-themed afternoon tea taking over elegant Gotham Lounge at The Peninsula New York—one of our favorite family-friendly hotels in NYC this month.

Naturally, my daughters hopped at the chance to get dressed up and join me for this lovely outing. Read on for the full details on this indulgent high tea and find more of our favorite restaurants serving high tea in NYC.

Celebrate Earth Day with Earth Kids; our monthly column and newsletter with activities to educate and inspire kids about the environment. 

Earth Day is a great time to talk to kids about what we can do to make an impact on the environment and resolve to change our habits to live more sustainably. 

Kids may ask whether their individual actions matter. The short answer is: Yes, individual actions make a big difference! You don't need a million followers on YouTube to have influence. When we change our behavior and talk about it, we influence our friends and family. If they change their behavior, this creates a ripple effect of change coming from the behavior of one person. And don't forget that consumer action is power. When we demand change through our purchasing decisions, corporations change their behaviors and products to meet the demand. Every little thing we do can add up to really big changes.

With that in mind, we've gathered a list of things kids and families can do differently to live more earth-friendly lives. See how many of them you can do! Read more ideas in our Earth Kids Guide and sign up for our Earth Kids newsletter for more ideas and activities every month.

Here in New Jersey, there are plenty of bowling alleys that offer year-round fun. There are small-town spots that offer traditional games with modern touches, such as automatic scoring and gutter bumpers. And there are newer, flashier bowling alleys that feature high-tech bells and whistles like interactive games, video walls, and glow ball.

In addition, venues throughout the state often feature bowling alongside laser tag and arcades.

And bowling alleys are an ideal spot for low-maintenance birthday parties, play dates, and weekend day trips.